A New Day
by kaligoddess
Summary: What was Ami doing when she was offscreen in the Special Act? PGSM Hints of NephAmi
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes**: This is the prologue to the first of two stories I plan to write. The first one will follow Ami through the Special Act, and is a necessary set up to the second story, which will follow Ami after the Special Act as she pursues both her career and the love of her life. I believe both plots will be self-contained, which is why I have split them.

This has yet to be beta-read as I am currently beta-less. Critique of the technical kind is especially welcome.

--

Ami glanced down at her watch and hurried down the hospital corridor, sensible heels clicking loudly on the tiling. Even if it was just a preliminary hearing, it wouldn't do to rush in breathless and disheveled. Having to constantly prove herself to the senior staff was beginning to wear heavily, but it would be foolish to blow her chances now with such a small bit of unprofessionalism.

It wasn't easy being the youngest doctor.

"Good Morning, Dr Mizuno," one of the pediatric ward nurses greeted her as she rushed past. Ami smiled and returned the pleasantry, wishing she had time to inquire about her favorite patient.

While she liked all the children on the floor, Ami had to admit her current favorite was the little girl in 207, who was under observation for the fluid in her lungs. Despite the constant heavy coughing, little Sara remained cheerful and more concerned with the other patients than herself. She reminded Ami of Usagi more than a little.

It was hard to believe that Usagi was going to get married in a little more than a week. Silly, happy, girly Usagi a wife. When Ami had received Usagi's joyful call earlier in the month, the first thing that popped into her mind was how quickly the wedding was being planned. That was a strange thought, considering Usagi and Mamoru had been together for four years on and off. And it wasn't like it was some sort of sunshine only romance; they had certainly dealt with just about every trouble a couple could go through, and some no girl would ever dream of having to face.

In any case, one month seemed like an awfully short time to plan a wedding even for busy-bodied Usagi. At least Makoto was helping her out with the flowers and cake, but that still the little details and the honeymoon, not to mention the dress which Makoto had said wasn't even picked out yet. Still, Usagi was probably having the time of her life, even with all the nitpicky details that needed to be ironed out. Ever since Ami had met her in Junior High, Usagi had dreamed of getting married. Mamoru, on the other hand, would hate every minute of the planning. Ami couldn't help but smile at the mental image of Mamoru dragged grumpily through a bridal boutique by a hyper-active Usagi.

She was still smiling when she entered the meeting room, nodding politely to the supervising physician, Dr. Lyons, as she took her seat at the table. The proper files were easy to locate in her neatly organized briefcase, and she handed the papers over to one of her research partners to look over before their presentation. She sneezed hard, and apologized to the occupants of the room.

Dr. Lyons would be easy to persuade to allow them to continue their experiments, it was the ethics committee that they would face the week after Usagi's wedding that made Ami's stomach twist. Convincing the committee that the procedure was safe enough to practice regularly on humans was going to be difficult enough without having to prove that it would be more beneficial than the current methods.

A cough interrupted her thoughts and she looked up from the scrap of paper she had been ripping into tiny, even pieces. Dr. Lyons was ready for them to begin.

--

The entire apartment complex was dark and quiet when Ami staggered from the parking lot to her door. Fumbling with her keys, she grumbled at the burnt out bulb that she had called the super about five times already. After several failed attempts, she finally shoved the door open and stepped into her minuscule apartment

The light from the fish tank cast an eerie, blue glow across the tiny space she called her living room. The tank was one of the first things she had set up when she had moved in, even before she had put her bed together or unpacked any of her other possessions. It reminded her of home almost as much as the white board hung in the kitchen which she still hadn't wiped her mother's good luck message from.

Now she knew how her mother felt, always running from patient to patient and meeting to meeting. Sometimes it was more like she lived at the hospital than her apartment, but every time another patient was released from the ward it was worth all the time and effort spent.

And now with the new procedure, assuming Dr. Lyons approved and they could move forward, the workload would increase, but so would the rewards. A less invasive method would allow the inadvertent damage of surgery to decrease, the recovery time to shorten, and the chance of deep scarring to decrease.

And if Dr. Lyons didn't agree, well, tomorrow was another day.

No, she corrected herself after glancing at the clock and groaning, today is a new day. She was due in the operating theater in six hours.

--

The bloody gloves were barely in the bio-waste receptacle when the nurse told Ami she had a phone call. "Tell them I will call them back, please," she replied, continuing with her after surgery scrub. Despite the vague sense of unease she had woken up with, the surgery had been completed without any complications, and the supervising surgeon had complemented her skills.

With any luck it would be the research team on the line with some good news and Ami cheered up and changed quickly with that thought in mind. She was still smiling as she came down the hallway to ask about the phone call, and her grin proved infectious to patients and staff alike.

Even the news from the reception desk that the call was from Japan did nothing to dampen her mood. "It must be Usagi," she thought before the nurse had even given her the number. Her mother would never call her at work unless a catastrophe the size of Godzilla had hit.

A glance at the digital clock on the wall revealed she had time enough for a few minutes break, so she grabbed her cell phone from her locker and headed for the courtyard to call her best friend. For once it wasn't raining, and she could enjoy the sun on one of the benches instead of huddling under the small overhangings with the smokers.

"Moshi, moshi." Her smile began to fade as soon as Usagi answered the phone. Never one to mince words, Usagi announced, "The wedding is off!"

Ami sighed loudly. "What's happened now?" Usagi was forever breaking off the relationship off for some silly reason or another. Why would their wedding be any different?

"Mamoru-baka doesn't want to get married," Usagi pouted.

Ami could clearly picture the face her friend was making, but the news made her pause. "What makes you say that?"

"I heard him talking to Motoki-kun," Usagi sounded more sure of herself than when she and Mamoru usually had a spat.

"So he called the wedding off?" The situation didn't sound good at all to Ami. It was normally Usagi who stubbornly decided the relationship was over, not Mamoru. He was as stubborn as she was, but a lot more reasonable about their lovers quarrels.

"No, I did," Usagi said with satisfaction.

Ami loved her friend dearly, but logic was not Usagi's strong point. "He didn't want to get married, so you called the wedding off yourself." She would never understand the way Usagi fought, most of the time she just ended up punishing herself.

"Yes, so I called you to tell you to cancel your ticket."

"So because you and Mamoru fought, you don't want to see me?" The urge to wheedle Usagi was too great, but she still couldn't work up a convincing level of hurt in her voice.

"You know that's not what I meant," Usagi was back to pouting again. "I just didn't want you to take off time from work if you didn't have to. Your mother said you were busy with a new project."

"I am, but that doesn't make you any less important. Thank you for thinking of me," Ami tried to sound cheerful, but the unease was coming back. "I'll talk to you soon." The phone clicked shut, but she didn't feel like the conversation was truly finished.

Not that Ami had any intention of believing Usagi's claim that the wedding was canceled. Tomorrow she'd get another call from the over-excited bride-to-be, desperately telling her to buy another plane ticket. That's just the way the thick-headed couple was.

She smiled again to herself. They maybe be getting older, maybe even wiser, but some things never seemed to change.


	2. The Tide Comes In

AN - I apologize again for the lack of a beta reader. -- Also, I'm pimping out the PGSM fanfic archive I run, check it out in my profile.

---

Aino Minako's newest CD was blaring from Ami's alarm clock, bringing her out of a dream she couldn't quite remember. She knew she slept all night, but somehow she didn't feel rested like she had a full night's sleep.

_All those extra hours must be catching up with me,_ she thought. She had to pull quite a few favors to not be on call during the night, and it was a shame to have it wasted. The point was to be rested for the big surgery not to play catch up on the sleep she had lost the week before.

She couldn't lay in bed and think about it though, because her morning routine was almost exactly timed. First, she had to start the water boiling then jump in the shower while it heated, while the tea was brewing she could pop the "toaster pastry" in the toaster oven and feed the fish. She watched the weather while inhaling her breakfast and could get her hair mostly dry after dressing if she didn't dally over her tea. The movements were second nature to her now, and she could complete them half asleep, which she did quite often.

Today was different though, and she felt sluggish as she stumbled through the bedroom. When she came back from the shower she discovered that she hadn't put any water in the kettle, and she forgot about the toaster until it started smoking. Then her hair dryer died and she was forced to drive to work with the windows open in the hopes that the wind would at least prevent her from arriving while still dripping.

A few of the interns snickered at her as she trudged up from the parking garage to put her purse in her locker. It was then she realized she had on one navy blue shoe and one black shoe. _Its going to be one of those days, isn't it_, she thought with a sigh so loud several people turned to look at her.

"Dr. Mizuno?" a soft voice asked from behind as she dug in the bottom of her locker for the sneakers she knew had to be in there.

"Yes," she responded a little more forcefully than she intended.

The receptionist winced, but told her that she had a call from line three that sounded urgent. _Probably Usag_i, Ami thought, resigning herself to the fact she was just going to have to direct everyone's attention away from her feet.

The indicator light was still blinking for line three on the switchboard when she finally made her way to the reception desk. It was unusual for Usagi to be that patient.

But it wasn't Usagi on the phone, and a chill ran up her spine when she heard Luna's childlike voice answer her greeting.

"Ami-chan, we've been trying to reach you for hours!" The frightened tone of Luna's voice did nothing to calm Ami.

"I was asleep. You forgot about the time difference," Ami answered. "W-what happened?"

"Usagi and Mamoru have been kidnapped," Luna squealed.

"Kidnapped?" Her stomach sunk. "How?"

Luna cut her off. "By the Shitennou."

"The Shitennou? But they were – Mamoru – I don't..." Ami had a mental flash of "Nephikichi-kun" stuffing his face with admittedly burnt cookies. That couldn't be right.

"I know. Something feels wrong about it," Luna said, but Ami was no longer listening.

It didn't matter that her hair was still wet and her shoes didn't match. It didn't matter that she was going to be late for her eight am surgery. All that mattered was that trouble was in Japan and she was not.

The phone dropped from her limp hand and clattered to the floor, but if she heard it she didn't react. Her feet were already carrying her towards the exit. "Ami, the operating room is that way," called out the anesthesiologist.

"Japan is this way," she responded absentmindedly, already sprinting for home.

---

She was feverishly throwing random articles of clothing into a duffel bag by the time she collected herself enough to call Luna back. It was hard to concentrate on any one thing with so many thoughts bouncing through her mind.

A pair of white sneakers went into the bad as the feline picked up, "Ami-chan! I was worried something happened when you hung up."

"No, I'm fine. I had to get another plane ticket," she crammed a light jacket on top of the shoes. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"I don't know." Luna's tone was unsure. "But I can tell you what I saw."

"Please," Ami started scribbling a not to her neighbor to please feed the fish.

"I was investigating a strange aura I felt at Pierrot's Castle yesterday and followed it into the main building. Rei-chan felt it too, and must have followed the aura all the way from Kyoto," Luna said quickly.

"Rei-chan is there?" At least Luna would have some help.

"Rei is in the hospital. The aura suddenly got stronger, and there was this flash," Luna pause. "She hasn't regained consciousness yet.

Ami nearly dropped the phone again, "Rei-chan..."

"After Rei was taken to the hospital, I went looking for Usagi. I could hear the screaming before I got to the plaza she was in, but by the time I arrived, everyone had fled except for Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen. I couldn't see anything else because that was when the Shitennou teleported them away."

"But I thought Mamoru said they promised to help him," Ami protested.

"I know. I don't understand either, but I know what I saw," Luna was silent for a moment. "Maybe they think they're helping."

Ami thought for a moment. If the Shitennou were trying to protect Mamoru by removing him from the situation entirely it would make sense, but why wouldn't they have told Luna what was going on so she could help?

On instinct she glanced at her bare wrist and answered the question: Because we are no longer senshi.

Luna spoke up then, almost as if she could read her thoughts, "Makoto ad I spoke with Queen Serenity. She is sending us an ancient weapon to help us out. We're going to search for it."

"Just you and Mako-chan? Aren't you afraid?" Ami bit her lip.

"I can still transform," Luna said firmly. "Makoto is strong whether she is in a sailor suit or not."

"What about Minako?" asked Ami nervously.

"Minako is on her way already. Her plane will be arriving in a few hours." Luna seemed to perk up. "And you'll get here soon after that."

"Be careful, Luna," Ami said. "Don't get into a fight if you can avoid it."

"I wasn't planning to." A voice could be heard in the background. "That's Makoto now."

"You're going to search now?" Ami quickly did the time conversion in her head. "It's almost midnight."

"We don't have much of a choice, we'll let you know how it went when you get here," Luna reassured her. "In the meantime, get some sleep. It won't do us any good if you're ready to drop."

"I'll try," Ami replied dutifully. "Goodnight, I'll be there in the morning."

She closed the phone quickly and carefully slipped it into the front pocket of her blouse. Another look at the clock by her bed sent her in a scramble to gather her traveling bag and to call a taxi to take her to the airport.

---

Settled into her tiny seat in the coach compartment between an obese woman and an old man with a leering problem, Ami closed her eyes and tried to sleep like she had promised Luna. It took her only a few minutes to realize it wasn't going to be easy. Between the woman on her right hogging the armrest, the man on her left obviously staring at her breasts, and the screaming child behind her kicking her seat, it was going to be a very long ride.

Even without the physical distractions her mind was still reeling from all the information it had not had time to analyze.

When Serenity had used the Ginzuishou what felt like a lifetime ago, Ami had thought that her days fighting the forces of evil were over. To be thrust back into that life... did she really want it?

She shook her hand, trying to clear it. It didn't matter what she wanted, fate had once again dealt her the same hand, and her only choice was to play with what she had. It wasn't a matter of what she wanted to do, she was going to Japan because it was what needed to be doe. _No,_ Ami's jaw clenched unconsciously. _I do want to help. Usagi-chan was always willing to help me._

Usagi-chan...

What did the Shitennou want with Usagi? She was no longer a threat to the planet And Mamoru, why had they turned on their Prince? It just made no sense.

Even when they and the Shitennou were enemies, it was under Beryl's influence. Zoicite had "die" to save Usagi-chan and Mamoru ha said that Kunzite had warned Jadeite to stop following Beryl after he had broken free of her spell.

_There must be something about this that we're missing._

An image of Nephrite in his human form came unbidden to her mind. While he hadn't been a bundle of sunshine and sparkles, he hadn't been... well, evil. He had had every opportunity to attack them once his powers had returned, but he had chosen to not only not harm them, but to keep their meeting place secret as well.

_How could I have been so oblivious?_ She could feel her ears burning. Mamoru had had to explain the connection to her when she ha asked where Nephikichi had gone. The incredulous look on his face had made her want to sink into the floor. At least she had the comfort of knowing her rinds were just as clueless.

Looking back, she conceded, it should have been obvious. The poor reaction to frustration, wounded pride, violent outbursts and unexplained explosions...

Admittedly her interest in him wasn't as a result of her second life as a senshi. A small smile curled the corners of her mouth as she mentally watched him stuff his face with cookies until he resembled a chipmunk more than a deadly enemy. Not all that intimidating.

The blush deepened and she tried to bring her brain back to the issue at hand.

Hopefully Luna and Makoto were safe. At least Usagi had Mamoru with her, but Luna and Makoto were wandering around by themselves in the dark, with an unknown enemy afoot. What would she do if something happened to them while she was en route?

She could only hope that Minako got to Japan soon. Was Minako still the leader if the senshi were no longer senshi? Not that it mattered, but sometimes it was nice to have someone to look for direction.

And Rei-chan... What had happened to Rei? Maybe she could get a look at her if they had time. Knowing what had attacked her would give them some clud as to what they were facing. When Luna called she would have to ask what hospital to visit.

A particularly vicious kick to her seat brought her back from her thoughts. With any luck the in-flight movie would start and distract the little one behind her before she starting bruising. Otherwise she might land facing child-abuse charges.

Her own vicious thoughts of what she wanted to do to him shocked her. The stress really must be getting to her.

---

She was waiting anxiously for her taxi when her phone rang, and she nearly ripped the cover off in her haste to answer it.

"Moshi, moshi," she hoped her voice didn't sound as hysterical as she thought.

"We think we know where Queen Serenity's present is," Luna said.

"Where?" Luna's heart leapt.

"Near Pierrot's Castle," replied Luna.

_The amusement park? Why would Queen Serenity send the sword there?_ "Have you found any sign of Usagi?"

"No, but maybe once we get the sword it will help us. Why don't you try to meet us in the hills behind the amusement park? When you get here, we'll figure out what we're going to do."

"Minako will meet us there?" Ami asked hopefully.

"With any luck."

Ami couldn't help smiling at that. "Here's my cab, I'll see you soon."


	3. Watch Out for the Undertow

AN – Here's where I start to fiddle a bit with times and places.

----

_Pierrot's castle..._

Long ago it had been one of her favorite place to visit, now it seemed like her life as a senshi would take her back there once again.

It was her mother who told her that the amusement park was going out of business, and Ami wasn't sure how she felt about it. As a child, her favorite thing in the world was to ride the Merry-Go-Round, but it was on that same ride she had confronted Usagi as Dark Mercury. Within the amphitheater, she had nearly killed her best friends.

Knowing that the park was closing down had provided a small amount of closure to her life. Usagi and the others could say that she was under a spell all they wanted, but that didn't make her remember their pleas any less. It didn't let her forget the Moonlight Stick shattering and watching as Usagi's tiara cracked. Kunzite's smirk and unwanted advances didn't magically undo themselves. Nephrite's sad eyes still watched her in the Dark Kingdom corridors in her head, and the guilt she had felt when he had "died" at Beryl's command still lingered.

Visiting the park again was going to bring back some memories she wasn't sure she wanted to recall.

Then suddenly she was out of her memories and being thrown forward in her seat in the back of the taxicab as the vehicle came to a screeching halt. "What is it?" she asked, trying to pull the seatbelt out of her abdomen.

The driver could do nothing but gape and point ahead of him as he trembled. Blocking the path in front of them was a horde of what looked like clowns that were cooing like a flock of pigeons. Breaking any sort of polite protocol, the driver threw open his door and ran screaming down the street, leaving Ami to her own fate.

_They must have been sent here to stop me, _Ami decided. But what to do about it?

With a determined air, she climbed awkwardly between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, trying not to flash her underwear at the world. It felt weird to climb into the right seat to drive after being in America for so long, but she clipped her own driver's license over the former driver's and hoped she would be able readjust quickly.

She slammed down hard on the gas pedal, and the wheels spun on the still rain-wet road. "Move!" she willed the clowns in front of her as the car jerked forward like a charging bull.

The creatures barely moved to avoid her, so she swerved wildly to keep from mowing them down. _Why aren't they dodging?_ she asked as the front bumper clipped one in plaid and polka dots and sent it flying. Finally, she was through the nauseating mass of moving colors and patterns and speeding towards freedom.

A backwards glance in the mirror brought an image of a circus massacre, but the few figures still standing were all staring at what seemed like the road in front of her, rather than at their fallen brethren.

With a gasp she drew her attention to where she was going and desperately swung the wheel to the left while slamming on the brakes to avoid the golden youma on the road ahead and the now shut lot-gates. The tires squeaked loudly as they skidded on the wet pavement and she squeezed her eyes shut as a set of warehouse doors loomed dangerously before her. Her legs braced involuntarily for impact.

The expected crash never came, and when she lurched forward in the seat as the car came to a complete stop, she slowly opened one eye. The front bumper was a mere inch from the warehouse door and she smiled slightly, letting out the breath that she had been holding.

But another glance in the rear view mirror killed the fleeting sense of relief. The clownish enemies cartwheeled into view again, standing between her and freedom.

She barely even hesitated this time, dropping the car into reverse and gunning the engine so quickly that the first enemies were bouncing off the trunk before they had time to begin to react. The golden youma wasn't budging though, and hurtling towards the still closed gates didn't seem to be a viable solution to that problem.

"Damnit!" She stomped on the brakes again, sliding dangerously towards a collision. A jerk of the wheel sent the front of the car swerving, and she dropped th car back into gear, wincing as the transmission protested loudly at the abuse.

The tires squealed as she sped off, youma shrinking to a tiny speck in the rear view mirror. The pressing problem changed from imminent danger from the youma to the fact that she hadn't a clue as to how to get to the amusement park by car. Whenever she had gone with her parents it had been by taxi, and she had been too excited to pay attention to the route.

A honk from behind reminded her to stop drifting towards the right. After driving for a year in the right lane, it was hard to convince herself to stay on the left hand side. She carefully merged back onto the main road and tried to plot the best course of action.

Obviously she had to get to Pierrot's Castle, but how? The fastest route was probably the one the driver had been taking, and if the enemy had set up a roadblock there, who knew where else they had set up an ambush. She bit her bottom lip. She couldn't keep driving forever. _ Think Ami, think._

The sight of a passenger whizzing past with a tiny cell phone glued to her ear gave Ami an idea. _Of course!_ Makoto would have driven to the Castle with Luna. Her eyes darted to the side of the road, searching for a place to stop. _Now, where am I?_

---

Ami winced at the myriad of dents now gracing the hood of the car. She hadn't meant to do that kind of damage, and the driver would probably get fired over it. Then again, having been abandoned by the same driver did a lot to ease her sense of guilt over the destruction of property.

She yanked her license back out of the holder and put it neatly away in her purse before stepping out onto the asphalt of the parking lot. The back of the car had fared no better than the front, looking like someone had taken a bat to it. Hopefully the insurance company would cover attacks by suicidal clowns troupes.

But there was no time to worry about the consequences of her driving, not with Usagi in trouble and Makoto and Luna needing all the help they could get. Makoto sounded stressed enough for two people, and her heavy breathing made Ami even more worried, if such a thing were even possible. Makoto and tired just didn't go together.

She eyed the run-down park warily. It had only been abandoned for a year, yet it had a creepy aura surrounding it already. There were weeds growing all over what had once been smooth lawn and the familiar sign hanging over what was once the front gate was in shambles. The gray sky wasn't adding much to the overall atmosphere either.

Reaching back inside the car door she felt around for the trunk release, telling herself that she was getting her bag not stalling. What she wanted were the sneakers she was sure she shoved in her luggage. Her pumps were quite stylish, but hardly suitable for any kind of physical activity.

The sneakers were quickly dug out and she bent down to tie them, only to spot a pair of polka dotted pants on the other side of the car. She stood up with a startled shriek and started backing away from the gathering clowns. Out of the corner of her eye she caught more movement, and turned to face another group of the creatures who were rapidly advancing on her.

She broke into a run towards the chain-link fence surrounding the park, sparing only a moments thought about her still untied shoes. Without looking back, she scrambled up and over the barrier, completely ignoring the rip she tore in her skirt on the sharp top. Her pursuers were just as agile, and came leaping down after her only moments after she hit the ground running.

_Where do I go? _she thought desperately, refusing to look behind her while she could clearly hear the crowd chasing her. The familiar concrete path she followed took her past the rollercoaster and the dreaded Merry-Go-round, but she wasn't paying much attention to the scenery as she tried to formulate a plan.

If she didn't stray off the trail, it would take her straight to the open-air threatre, but what good would that do? What she needed was a way to get to the back gates and the hills beyond.

Her flight came to an abrupt halt as more of the clown-suited figures vaulted into her way. She skidded unceremoniously to a halt, nearly tripping over her shoelaces as she turned and dashed to the side. Her pursuers were right at her heels, and she ran straight for the only place she thought she could lose them – The FunHouse.

---

Without lights, the FunHouse went from a mildly exciting diversion to a nightmare inducing maze. Every time something moved, shook, rattled or otherwise made its presence known, Ami's heart stopped.

She felt her way along the walls carefully, trying to shut out the queer sounds the creatures were making. The noise was rebounding off the walls, making it sound like the strange cooing was coming from everywhere at once, and in the dark she couldn't tell if one of the creatures was five feet in front of her.

Her breaths were coming in rapid gasps and she knew it wasn't entirely from all the running she had done. A sudden movement caught her eye, causing her to leap back in alarm, but it was only an equally scared rat skittering past. She shuddered, but a glint of light in the next room distracted her.

A ray of light peaked in from a crack in the ceiling, bouncing off the array of mirrors that made up the mirror maze. With an apprehensive glance behind her, Ami crept into the room, arms stretched out in front to keep her from walking into any of the false glass walls. She made her first wrong turn immediately, smacking her fingertips painfully into an invisible barrier.

_Damnit. _Four turns later she was caught in another dead end, and she could hear the creepy clowns coming closer, probably already in the maze with her as well. i Don't panic /i , she thought, feeling her way back down the mirrored corridor. The sounds were growing slowly louder, slapping footsteps mixing in with the vocals. Her own steps quickened involuntarily.

The scream left her mouth before she fully comprehended what she saw. Five, six, seven of the creatures at the end of the hall. _No, they're identical_, said the coherent part of her brain. _It's just the mirrors' effect._ The lone circus reject entered from the left, spinning into view and causing the walls behind it to reflect a small army.

There was no use going back, the bulk of the things following her were probably still caught in the maze. The walls were both too high and too slick to climb over...

She sprinted for the end of the hallway with all the speed she could muster, shirking away as the thing tried to grab her. She took the left where the creature had come in, and was rewarded with a set of double doors with an emergency exit sign.

Her weight didn't even cause the doors to budge and she fell over as she rebounded backwards. She blinked, trying to process what had just happened, giving the creature time to catch up. It grabbed at her hair and she barely rolled herself away in time.

There was a stairway leading up to the second floor to the right she noted, rolling away from a kick. Her reaction was too slow on the next attack and she was hauled to her feet by the collar as the her attacker finally got a good grip. It flung her into the walls to the left of the double doors with enough force to knock the air from her lungs. She collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath as the clown advanced on her.

_I am not going to be defeated by a clown_, she thought defiantly, looking around frantically for another avenue of escape. She spotted the fire extinguisher hanging right by the emergency exit just as the fist came flying at her face. The crack of fingers against cement was music to her ears as she ducked and went running for the extinguisher.

A good yank pulled the heavy bottle from its brackets and she swung at the approaching masked face, trying to ignore the sickening crack that followed. The thing lay twitching on the floor for a few moments before disappearing in a flash of light. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't human, no matter how humanoid it looked.

She sighed with relief and took a moment to resurvey the area. Aside from the staircase and the emergency exit, there was another plain, single door with a large, slightly rusted padlock on it. It looked like some sort of official business door, although there were no marking on it.

After making sure none of the other creatures had made it out of the maze, she heave the extinguisher at the rusty lock. Either the lock hadn't been fully set or she didn't know her own strength, because it fell open easily. She tentatively pushed the door open and when nothing jumped out at her, entered.

There was a small window high up on one wall that let in just enough light to see by. A shock of purple and orange in one corner alarmed her, but a second look revealed it to be just an empty clown costume. _That's right, the clowns used to perform at the amphitheater._ Of course back then they were handing out balloons, not attacking people. _Pierrot-kuns, that's what they were called_. She never would have guessed that the seemingly innocent mascots could cause so much trouble.

There were some other supplies for the Pierrot-kuns as well. _Must be a store room_. An old helium tank sat next to some pinwheels and a unicycle with a flat tire. More clown suits were crumpled under a basket of clown masks and hats, the sight of which caused a sudden burst of inspiration.

If she couldn't run away from the clowns, she'd have to disguise herself to blend in. _But will they be able to sense I'm not one of them?_ She thought carefully for a moment and decided it was probably worth a shot

Half a minute later, she was pulling one of the masks on and adjusting a rather jaunty, pointed hat. Her skirt didn't fit well in the jumpsuit, but she decided that the lumpy mess would have to do. There didn't seem to be anything else of use in the room except for the small, unmarked door on the opposite wall. It turned out to be a service door to the outside.

With fire extinguisher firmly in hand, she stepped out into the sunlight.


	4. Waves Crash on the Shore

A/N: Still no beta and it's short. (emo-tear)

* * *

It was hard to wrap her mind around the idea of remaining inconspicuous while wearing a clown-suit, but Ami did her best to avoid attracting attention. She slunk down the cement pathway through the park, forcing herself not to run no matter how badly she wanted to get to the others.

Her goal of the back gates was in sight and she kept her eyes on the "exit only" sign in the distance. _I can do this_, she kept telling herself whenever she heard the freakish sounds of the Pierrots. _Usagi needs me._

Several times she saw a flash of colorful jumpsuits in the woods behind the park. The regularity of their appearances made it look as if they were on a patrol of sorts. Were they looking for her or the others?

Another small group of the brightly dressed youma went barreling past and she did her best not to cringe or shy away. None of those heading for the hills ahead seemed to pay her any attention, only one glancing behind itself at her only to disregard her completely. They were all so intent on their mission, whatever it was, that she felt invisible at times. Not that she was complaining.

As the gate crept closer and closer, more and more of the Pierrots began to appear, rushing past her and into the woods. _Mako-chan must be getting close. _The supply of youma appeared to be limitless. _Will we be able to defeat them all?_

Her pace quickened as yet another group hurried past her. What if Makoto and Luna became overwhelmed by sheer numbers before she ever got to them?

With that thought, she began to run in earnest for the exit. Much to her amazement, none of the other Pierrots bothered her as they also sped off into the woods beyond. The clowns split up, some running towards the hills and some hurrying deeper into the forest.

Ami hesitated for a moment and then ran after the group heading up the hills. She could hear the faint sound of a battles nearby although she couldn't tell who they was between. The Pierrots were pulling away from her; she could not scramble up the occasional rock face carrying her fire extinguisher as fast as they could, but the brightly colored jumpsuits made them easy to spot when she cleared them.

Then she spotted something that caused her to hesitate for a moment. Up at the very top of a series of ledges... a sword? _That's it!_ A new burst of energy filled her, making her forget a moment about the pain in her chest and legs. _Mako-chan, Luna, here I come._

With renewed vigor she charged up the next incline, fighting to keep her balance on the rocky soil. Her legs were burning fiercely and protesting their sudden overuse after months of being so sedentary. She kept on, telling herself that any of her friends would do the same for her.

Finally, she came to another rise over which she could hear Makoto taking on some of the clown-suited youma. A few higher pitched battle cries indicated Luna had joined the fight as well. The sound of her fan whacking what Ami presumed to be Pierrots was music to her ears.

When she reached the top, Makoto and Luna were in a standoff with the Pierrots. The sneer of pure on aggression would on Makoto's face would have made anything less than a youma run screaming in fear, but half the clowns stood firm between the two and the sword beyond and other half between them and the path back down the hill.

Ami took a few seconds to assess the situation. From her vantage point behind the attacking enemies, she could see the exhausted look in Makoto's eyes and her labored breathing. Even Luna looked quite worse for wear, although she was still able to transform. Quite a few bodies littered the ground on the on the way up the hill, but here was another large group of Pierrots.

A little farther behind Makoto and Luna lay the queen's "present" embedded in some kind of stand. The golden hilt glittered brightly in the afternoon sun, and she could hardly take her eyes off it. Even ifs she and Makoto could not use it without the others, they had to protect it from the dark power that was controlling the Pierrots.

_I have to do something_, Ami thought. There was no way she could take out the clowns herself. Then, the heavy weight in her hands reminded her that she was still lugging around the fire extinguish she had taken from the Funhouse. _At least I can cause a distraction_. She fumbled with the pin for a moment before opening the valve and spraying the nearest clowns with the misty, white spray.

To her surprise, they collapse in a heap and disappeared, leaving her slightly dumbfounded. When she managed to look up again, she was equally surprised to see Makoto and Luna glaring at her suspiciously.

A wave of giddiness overtook her as she reached for the mask and hat of her ensemble. "Mako-chan, Luna!" she called, grinning excitedly. It was almost surreal to have finally met up with them.

Makoto's surprised gasp of "Ami-chan" was cut off by the revving of an engine and a black motorcycle bursting into view. Instinctively, the girls ducked and turned away from the dust the speeding vehicle kicked up. When it settled, the motorcycle rider was already pulling off her helmet and shaking out her long black hair. "Sorry I'm late," she quipped as faithful Artemis jumped up on her shoulder.

"Thanks for waiting," the cat said with a smile.

Ami's grin returned in full force. Somehow the situation didn't seem quite so impossible when her friends were near. She nodded at Makoto as Minako climbed off of her motorcycle.

The former leader of the senshi caught their look and turned to the sword still shining in the sun. "Let's do this," she said simply, already striding forward.

Ami's sense of elation began to fade as they gathered around the artifact. It was a very fine looking sword, at least in her non-expert opinion, and it certainly looked sharp enough, but it was just a sword. What exactly would it do? And why didn't the queen send one for all of them?

"Will this work without Rei?" Luna asked, watching the three women. Artemis, clutched tightly in her arms, looked unsure as well.

Minako nodded. "Her heart is with us," she murmured.

Minako's confidence eased some of Ami's hesitation. "Usagi-chan is with us too."

Minako's graceful hands clasped the hilt and Makoto and Ami followed suit. Ami's breath caught as they pulled as one unit and the blade slid easily from the pedestal. It was true, she did feel that Rei was working with them, even if she wasn't physically present.

The five stood in awe as Minako held the sword up to the sky, causing it to flash brightly. A familiar feeling crawled its way up Ami's spine and she absentmindedly reached for the henshin bracelet that hadn't been on her wrist in years. A quick glance at Makoto showered her doing the same.

Luna was overjoyed and bouncing from foot to foot with Artemis hanging onto her collar for dear life. But suddenly she stopped, holding one hand up to her ear seconds before a hideous screech filled the air, making Ami jump.

"To Usagi!" Minako ordered urgently, and they took off down the cliffs towards the source of the noise.


	5. The Storm Passes

A cloud of black smoke was beginning to billow from the center of the amusement park as the senshi and Artemis raced towards the shrieking and wailing. As they drew closer, the clash of metal became clear, as well as a desperate cry of "Master!"

Minako, who had been leading the way, came to a complete halt at the edge of the main walkway across from the park's roller coaster. Her rigid stance did little calm Ami's nerves as she came up behind the idol. Ami's own breath caught as she took in the sight.

Across the grassy area a one-sided battle was taking place. A plant-like monster, nearly as tall as some of the surrounding buildings, was advancing on the five male warriors who were struggling to get back to their feet. The creature's many tendrils were reaching out at its fallen foes, and its flower shaped "face" was fluttering wildly in excitement.

"What are we waiting for?" Makoto asked desperately, already starting towards the fight.

Ami tore her eyes away from the distant red figure long enough to agree and join her comrade in sprinting across the field.

The clear, sunny day seemed more suitable to a family outing to the park than a deadly battle. The effect was not lost on Ami as she went running through the fresh, green grass. On an ordinary day it would have been exhilarating to have the wind rushing through her hair. Instead she was filled with a sense of growing dread as she neared the fight.

Before they were a quarter of the way across the clearing a voice rang out. "Stop right there," and Usagi's pink clad figure came striding out to stand defiantly between the creature and her injured fiancé. She was dwarfed by the advancing youma, but she did not even twitch as she stood her ground.

"Usagi-chan, you can't even transform. What are you going to do?" the youma said in a distorted voice Ami recognized as Kuroki Mio's. Her tendrils twitched in what could only be anticipation.

Luna was the first to arrive, and when Usagi caught sight of the miniature senshi she planted her feet more firmly. A scowl twisted her face for a moment before it turned into wide-eyed shock. Ami's heart began to pound again as one of Mio's over-sized claws reached for her friend. "I won't let you of all people be happy!" Mio roared.

Luckily, Minako was faster and swung the queen's sword, severing the limb completely before it reached her friend. Makoto and Ami took Mio's moment of distraction to form a human wall between her and Usagi, while Luna went to help Endymion and the Shitennou.

Mio-youma's tendrils swept about in a frenzy and she began advancing again with an outraged cry. Ami's heart leapt in her chest, pounding wildly as a rush of adrenaline kicked in. _We have to protect Usagi-chan._

"Everyone," Minako announced. "Just for today, we can transform." She held the sword up again, and it burst into a shining light that settled like glitter around Usagi's neck, turning into the Heart Moon Brooch. Ami's amazement peaked as the glow circled her own wrist, turning into the silver bracelet before doing the same for Makoto and Minako.

She watched as Usagi stepped forward, clutching her necklace like she expected it to disappear and turned a little red as she realized she was doing the same with her bracelet. It was no longer fear that coursed through her veins, but a growing sense of excitement.

Usagi nodded, then twisted her hands around, "Moon Prism Power!"

The movements were still second nature to Ami, even after so long, so she hadn't realize her own arms were up and moving before her own voice called out "Mercury Power!" and then "Make Up!" in unison with the other senshi.

The familiar feeling of power swept over her in waves and she welcomed it like a long, lost friend. She'd never been able to describe the sensation, not even to the other senshi. It was like being submerged in the warmest of waters, but not feeling like she would drown. Like she was part of the water herself, an extension of the element. "Sailor of Wisdom and Water, Sailor Mercury. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you."

Mio was not as happy about seeing her enemies transform, and her claws clicked menacingly as she prepared to strike again. The momentary lull gave Ami just enough time to glance back at Luna, who was helping Mamoru to his feet. The Shitennou were slowly getting up as well and assessing the damage, although they did not look to be heading back into the fray.

Another furious shriek from Mio brought Ami's wandering attention back to the battle. Usagi brought out her Moonlight Stick from her Brooch, and Ami willed water to form a curved blade to fend the Mio's incoming tendrils off with. She had barely managed to fully form the weapon before Usagi ran directly into battle, eager to protect her man.

The other senshi followed suit, having to dodge the whipping tendrils constantly. There was barely time to deflect the whipping tendrils, let alone drive Mio back. Less than a minute into the fighting, it was obvious to Ami that they'd never be able to attack directly. Every time one of them removed one of Mio's limbs from the fight, another one grew in its place.

A series of particularly vicious swings forced Ami to cartwheel backwards to avoid being entangled. None of her friends were fairing any better. Inch by inch they were being driven backwards towards Luna and the men she was attending too.

Pressing her advantage, Mio suddenly reared back and began shooting needle sharp spines at them. Ami dodged and weaved to avoid the projectiles, using her sword to bat away a few near misses. Her comrades were forced to do the same until Usagi managed to reflect two spine back a Mio's "face".

Mio stumbled back, tendrils flaring and yelping in pain. Usagi took advantage of the direct hit to call the senshi to her. "We have to attack together," she said urgently.

With Mio coming at them again, the others nodded in agreement. Ami took her place back to back with the others. She wasn't clear on exactly what they were supposed to do, but she knew from experience that it did not matter. Even if her conscious mind did not truly remember all the secrets of the senshi, she had the power of Water to guide her.

She let herself relax, waiting for the warm water feeling to come back. It would guide her movements like it had always done, if she allowed herself to be taken over.

Her hands twisted at the wrist in a motion she recognized from Usagi's transformation. A hot, tingling feeling was growing in her fingertips, and she felt like a beacon of blue power as she raised her hands to the sky to invoke the power of Mercury itself.

"Sailor Planet, Attack!"

The resulting beam of the combined planets' energy was too much for Mio. She wailed horribly as her youma form started to disintegrate. As they watched in morbid fascination, the plant sunk into itself, all the while dissolving into a pile of glittering goo. When there were no more solid pieces left, the viscous liquid itself dried up and blew away.

Ami had been so intent on the battle that she hadn't realized how dark the sky had become. The weather was as fine as it had been during the day and just as warm. A strange sort of calm settled over the field as the sun sunk behind the hills and the last of Mio's captive human energy was released.

They stood watching where the colorful energy balls disappeared long after the lights were out of sight. Despite the bruises and the aches, Ami couldn't help but wish day was a little longer. She just wanted one more fight, so that the feeling of being a senshi wouldn't go away. Especially not now, when they could not get it back again.

It began slowly, just a slight chill. The power slowly ebbed away again, leaving their bodies in shining sparks. Within moments, the four were no longer guardians, but four normal girls.

The full force of the past twenty four hours finally hit Ami like a well trained sumo wrestler and she nearly collapsed from exhaustion without the support of her prior adrenaline rush. None of the others looked to be fairing any better, all shaky limbs and glum faces.

"This was for the best, wasn't it?" Usagi asked, her hand over where the Heart Moon Brooch was moments before. Her voice wavered slightly, despite the determined purse of the her lips.

They all nodded in response, although no one looked happy at the thought of losing their power once again. Ami's thoughts flitted to Rei, still stuck in her hospital bed. She hadn't even gotten to experience their last battle as a senshi. On the other hand, without that last taste, maybe she would not mind it so much.

Makoto broke the solemn silence, popping up behind Usagi with a mischievous grin. "About that wedding…"

While Usagi crossed her arms across her chest her lips twisted into a pretty pout. She put on a good show of trying to still be upset, but Ami knew her too well to be fooled. "We're going to do it," she said finally.

More than just the former senshi cheered, startling Ami, and Mamoru was pushed into the group of grinning girls. Over his shoulder, the Shitennou looked on with varying displays of approval, ranging from Kunzite's grudging acceptance to Jadeite looking nearly as excited as the girls were. To Ami's relief, none of them seemed seriously injured just a little bruised and battered.

Suddenly, she felt herself thrust forward as well. Recovering from her stumble, she turned to ask Makoto why she had been pushed, but was cut off.

"Go to him," Makoto said firmly.

"What?" Ami asked.

"Don't play stupid with me, Motoki told me all about it," Makoto's voice was full of a confidence Ami suddenly wished she had as what Makoto said sunk in.

"Mako-chan, I can't, that was four years ago-"

Makoto cut her off again. "And nothing can wait four years?" she asked while looking pointedly at the soon-to-be newlyweds.

Ami dropped her eyes to the ground. "It's just, we just…" she trailed off. We just what? She could feel Makoto's eyes boring into the back o her head, asking the same question. "I just want to be happy for Usagi-chan right now," she said at last.

Makoto looked disappointed. "You may never see him again."

"I know… but, I'll say something later." She tried to ignore Makoto's questioning glance. "Mamoru must have a way to contact them."

When she looked over Mamoru's shoulder, she could see the Shitennou were just as uncomfortable as she was. But she also caught the curious eyes of Nephrite, looking right back at her before he turned to say something to Kunzite. Were they talking about her?

Don't be so conceited, she told herself. With one last look, she turned to Usagi to share in her ecstatic celebration.


	6. Cleansing Waters

The next morning found Ami at the hospital, examining Rei's medical charts. The doctor in residence had assured her that everything was going well, but she had to check at least once, even if it were against normal protocol.

The truth was that Rei wasn't doing just "well", she was healing at a fantastic rate. No doubt it was at least partially a result of the queen's gift. She had gone from an estimated week's stay in the hospital to the doctors wanting to release her the next day. Rei would be pleased with the news, she wasn't the type to want to stay in bed all day for any reason.

Ami knocked on Rei's door, slipping in quietly as soon as Rei called for her to do so. She set the vase of fresh flowers she had been holding down on the bedside table before reaching over the metal bed frame to give her friend a hug. While she was paler than usual, the bandages around Rei's arm were the only real indication she had sustained a critical injury only two days before.

"Come to check up on the other doctor's work, have you?" Rei asked with a smirk.

Ami smiled sheepishly. "Of course I had to see how you were doing."

"Somethings never change." Rei sat up higher on her pillow. "How is Usagi?"

"Running around in little circles," Ami shook her head. "But at least she's happy about it."

Rei nodded sagely. "Between her and her mother, I'm surprised they're getting anything done."

"Mako-chan is helping them out a lot, and Mamoru has Motoki to help him," Ami said. "I just try to stay out of the way."

"I think I would too," Rei agreed. She held up her injured arm, "But at least I have a good excuse not to help. I still can't believe I got burnt."

"Well, it did take the other four of us working together to take Mio out," said Ami.

"I know, but I sensed her presence for several days. I feel like I should have said something earlier," Rei said. Her eyes darkened as her jaw tensed.

"And risk disrupting the wedding of the century?" Ami asked.

"True. But... I guess I'm just a little annoyed that I couldn't fight with you," Rei's good hand was clenching the edge of her blanket.

"You did fight with us," Ami said quietly. "The blade wouldn't have worked if your heart wasn't with us."

"That's not the same thing," Rei sighed angrily. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to one of you now."

Ami couldn't help but wonder if Rei had a specific one of them in mind, but she remained silent. It wouldn't do to dwell on what ifs when none of them had been hurt during the final battle.

"Luna told me that the Shitennou were there as well," Rei said.

"Luna was here?" Ami blurted out, both to avoid the subject, and because she was amazed by the the fact that anyone else had wriggled out of the frantic preparations.

"Yes, she was supposed to be buying some more ribbon, but she decided to go on some extra errands of her own. Not that I blame her." Rei was smiling again, at least. "Speaking of wriggling out of duty, how did you get to Japan so quickly?"

Ami blushed. The conversation with the department head hadn't been pretty, but so many people had seen her distraught before she ran out of the hospital that she had blamed her sudden absence on a family emergency. Luckily the surgery that had been scheduled had been minor so one of the residents had been given some valuable experience. She was going to be repaying favors for weeks when she returned, but she was leaving for New York almost immediately after the wedding so not too many shifts had to be covered. "I just didn't give anyone the chance to stop me from leaving," she replied.

Rei stifled a laugh. "I know how you can be when you are determined to do something."

"Me? Look who's talking," replied Ami.

"It didn't interrupt your project?" Rei asked.

"No, my partner was doing the surgery I had scheduled. I was just supervising." She did feel a little guilty about abandoning her partner and more importantly, her patient, minor surgery or not. "We had already reached the next stage of the approval process, so I don't think it will reflect too badly on us."

"Good, Usagi would feel awful if she though she had ruined it for you, even if it wasn't her fault." Smiling wryly, Rei added, "Although I don't think she's capable of feeling anything but excitement at this point."

A rather loud knock on the door startled them both. When requested that her visitor enter Ami was even more surprised to see that it was Rei's father. He looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"I'd better be going, I have to meet my mother for lunch," Ami said. She gathered up her purse and sweater quickly. While there was no clear tension between the two members of the Rhino family, Ami still felt the slight discomfort the two still had around one another. "I'll see you at the wedding, Rei. A pleasure to see you again," she added as she passed Mr. Hino.

When she closed the door behind her, she sighed in relief. The wedding was well into its last stages, Rei was healing fine, and it really did look like everything was going to turn out all right after all. It seemed her friends had the ability to pull things out of the most unlikely situations. With a nod and a smile for the nurse passing by, she headed off towards the exit.

There was something authoritative about the sound of a pair of pumps clicking on a tile floor, she decided as she walked back towards the lobby. It was probably because in America only the supervisors and higher-ups could wear them without wishing they hadn't. All the nurses and attending physicians who actually spent their time on their feet wore solid, supportive, rubber soled shoes.

Her mother was waiting in the lobby, as promised. While it would be a rushed lunch, at least they had managed to find a little bit of time to spend together. As usual, Mrs. Mizuno was dressed primly in a neat blouse and skirt with a lab coat on top. Somehow the outfit made her look more motherly to Ami, despite its professional bent. She could hardly remember seeing her mother in something that wasn't proper or pajamas.

When Mrs. Mizuno caught sight of her daughter, her smile lit up her whole face. Ami couldn't help but grin in return. Of all the things she missed while in America, her mother was one of the biggest. They never seemed to have enough time to spend together on Ami's rare visits to Japan.

Mrs. Mizuno held up the bag that had been on the chair beside her. "I had these delivered," she said, pulling out two commercially prepared bento boxes. "I thought we wouldn't want to waste time going to get something. We can eat in the courtyard."

It was such a beautiful day out that Ami readily agreed. Soon the two were seated on a bench, picking through the contents of their lunch. Ami had just chosen a promising looking bit of fish when her mother asked, "Why did you come home so soon; I thought you weren't leaving until Friday?"

Ami caught herself before she spit out her mouthful, and took the opportunity of swallowing to try and prepare an answer. "Well, Rei-chan was so seriously injured that I wanted to get here as soon as possible. I was only supervising the surgeries this week, so I wasn't really needed."

"I'm just worried about how taking so many days off will effect your grant proposal," Mrs. Mizuno said quietly. "You've been working so hard at it."

"Our last meeting with Dr. Lyons went well. I don't think my extra vacation days will harm the project. It's not like I go running off all the time like some of the residents," Ami said.

"I know. I just want everything to go well for you," said Mrs. Mizuno.

"I know Mama." Ami reached for another bite of snapper. "I'm hoping for the same thing for Usagi-chan now."

"I can't believe your friends are getting married already," Ami's mother sighed. "You father and I didn't get married until I was out of medical school."

Ami thought for a moment, and said, "It's strange. All of our other friends had some career we always dreamed of. Usagi-chan never wanted anything but to be with Mamoru."

"Its true that if you set your goals simple you will always reach them." Mrs. Mizuno paused. "No, I don't mean that. Keeping a good home and raising a fine family is certainly a good thing to aspire to."

Ami bit back a smile. Would Usagi have the same kind of home that Ikuko-mama had? She almost felt a little sorry for Mamoru.

Her mother's voice broke through her thoughts. "I have nightmares of you deciding to drop everything because you've decided to get married in America."

"I would never do that Mama!" Ami protested. _The only guy who has ever shown any interest in me was a slightly evil resurrected general from a thousand years ago. _"Even if I got married tomorrow I wouldn't give up my project."

"It makes me happy to hear you say that. I hate to see girls throw away their careers and lives for a fairy tale of a marriage." A melancholy look flitted across Ami's mother's face.

Mr and Mrs. Mizuno's divorce had been particularly bitter. Neither Ami nor her mother had heard from Ami's fathers in years. Ami had received a "congratulatory" painting in the mail after she had accepted into medical school, but that was the last contact they had. He might have as well have fallen off the face of the earth.

At least Usagi had good, if unusual, role models for a successful marriage. As unorthodox as the Tsukinos were, they were happy.

"But here I am, ruining your time home with depressing thoughts," Mrs. Mizuno shut the lid on her bento box as she looked at her watch. "Please tell Usagi I wish her the best of luck."

Ami nodded, then hugged her mother goodbye before they both rushed off to their busy days.

Ami came to a dead stop in the doorway of the Tsukinos' home. It looked like a stationary store had exploded in the kitchen, leaving Makoto, Luna, Usagi and Ikuko-mama as casualties.

Usagi was pouting as she picked up a stack of pale pink envelopes up of the floor. "I give up! I'll just call everyone to tell them to come to the wedding."

Makoto sighed loudly. "I wish you'd come to that conclusion before we went through all the trouble of filling these things out."

"These would never get there in time anyway," grumbled Usagi. She glared angrily at the offending pink paper before tearing it violently in two. "Why can't something go right for a change?"

In all the time she had known Usagi, Ami had never seen her so wound up about something. Even when Usagi fought with Mamoru she was all smiles again moment later. "Are you feeling alright, Usagi-chan?" she asked.

"No," the tone of Usagi's voice was a goo indication that the complaint was going to be long winded. "I couldn't sleep last night, I was sick all morning, and now I'm tired but I can't take a nap because I have to get a this stuff done."

Irritability, exhaustion, nausea. Ami filed the symptoms away in her head. While it could just be stress induced, something definitely seemed a bit off with Usagi.

"She's been out of her wits all week," appended Mama, before changing the subject completely. "Have you eaten?" she asked Ami.

"Yes, thank you. I grabbed lunch with my mother," Ami replied.

"Are you sure? I made my extra-special chocolate and eel rice balls," Mama was insistent as always.

"No really, I couldn't eat another bit." Ami tried to smile, but the thought of such an odd combination turned it into a grimace. Makoto smiled sympathetically over Mama's head; she had probably been through the routine earlier. Mama never missed an opportunity to inflict her cooking on someone.

The rustling of paper brought Ami's attention back to Usagi. She was still collecting the little pink envelopes from the floor while Luna tried to reunite them with their corresponding cards.

"So where are Mamoru and Motoki?" Ami asked.

"Escaped!" Luna said with a snarl.

"They are out buying the ribbon someone forgot to buy," Makoto corrected with a meaningful look at Luna. "I don't suppose we need it now, though."

"Maybe you can use it in the for the flower arrangements," said Ami. The last thing she wanted was to get Usagi riled up again over the supplies. She looked like she was going to throw a temper tantrum at any moment.

"I suppose so. I think the colors will match." Makoto looked thoughtful, "I guess I can use it to wrap the stems."

"Well that's one thing that's going right," Mama announced. She stood with hands on her hips, surveying the paper carnage. "No loafing around!" she said suddenly, "This place has got to be cleaned up."

"Hai!" said Luna. She snapped off a salute and doubled her efforts to collect cards.

Makoto and Ami started to giggle until Mama shot them a hard look. "Hai!" they said in unison and started to pick up the ribbon clippings littering the table.

"One, two, three, four," Mama was marching now. "Move it, move it."

Soon the first battalion clean-up brigade had the kitchen neat and tidy and ready for a battle against the evil forces of thank you notes another day. Usagi slumped into the nearest chair as soon as they finished. "Please let the wedding go off alright," she begged no one in particular.


	7. Many Springs Feed the River

The weight of him was pushing her back into the bed, but she hardly notice as she pulled him more closely to her. Her fingers entwined themselves in his hair as she pulled his face towards hers and tried to lose herself in his eyes.

His lips were on hers immediately, kissing her softly yet urgently. She let him take the lead and sighed as his mouth trailed down to her neck, following the hollow of her throat to her collarbone. He nipped lightly at her shoulders before kissing his way back up to the sensitive skin behind her ear.

A soft sigh escaped her throat as he nuzzled the... beeping?

---

Ami groped around on her nightstand, trying to turn off the source of the noise, but only succeeded in knocking over the lamp and pushing the alarm clock onto the floor. Still, the noise did not stop. Finally her groggy brain recognized the sound as her cell phone, and she staggered over to her purse to find it. Amazingly it was still ringing when she managed to clumsily open it and read the caller identification information.

Usagi sounded way too chipper as she returned Ami's greeting. "Usagi, it's six in the morning. Why are you calling so early?" Ami couldn't stifle her yawn.

"What do you mean "early"? You can't sleep in on a day like this!" Usagi sounded positively manic.

"It's not going to take any of us eight hours to get ready. You should go back to sleep; you'll need all your energy for tonight." Ami groaned, it was obvious that Usagi was too excited to go back to sleep.

"Tonight? Ami-chan what are you thinking about?" said Usagi, obviously trying to sound indignant.

"This afternoon. I meant this afternoon," Ami corrected. She was glad Usagi couldn't see her blush.

"Sure you did," Usagi said. "There's no way I can go back to sleep now. I've been up for two hours already."

"You're going to sleep through your ceremony at this rate," Ami chided her.

"Oh, why are you so desperate to go back to sleep? Were you having a good dream?" Usagi asked.

"I guess I was..." Ami admitted. It had felt so real. Maybe if she went back to sleep she could pick up where she left off.

"About Nephrite?" Usagi was trying to sound innocent.

"What? No. Of course not," Ami failed miserably at lying. Her attempt at sounding indignant fell flat because of the high pitch tinge to her voice.

"Really? Makoto seemed to think there was something going on," If Usagi didn't believe her, she wasn't going to let on. "I suppose you don't care that the Shitennou promised Mamoru that they would come to the wedding then."

"They are?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Ami realized how eager she really was to "say something later."

Usagi just laughed. "You really are bad at hiding this sort of thing, aren't you?"

"Hiding what?" asked Ami.

"Oh, don't play innocent with me," the laughter was still in Usagi's voice, and Ami knew she had to be grinning. "He saved you from Kunzite. There had to be something going on."

"Well, I don't remember much about what happened before that, and you know it," Ami retorted.

"And then we he turned up the Crown, you started dressing up and getting giggly at weird moments. And you didn't even find it weird when he spazzed out and tripped over himself," Usagi rattled off.

"I didn't know it was him!" Ami protested.

"You didn't know?" Usagi sounded incredulous.

"You figured it out?" Ami asked quietly, feeling a little sillier about not figuring it out on her own. Usagi, lovable as she was, was not known for her logical deductions.

"Well, no. Mamoru told me. I thought everyone else knew, and I felt dumb about not figuring it out myself, so I didn't say anything," Usagi explained. "It was kind of obvious after he said it though."

"I felt pretty dumb myself when I found out," Ami sighed. "Do you think he's upset that none of us knew?"

There was a minute of silence. "You know, he seemed so depressed about the whole thing, he probably was happy that we didn't realize what he had become," Usagi said slowly.

"I guess so." Ami considered Usagi's idea for a moment. He probably would feel better knowing that they hadn't recognized him as a human.

"Ooh, ooh!" Usagi squealed suddenly. "Mama is up! She can help me try on my dress."

"You can't get dressed yet, Usagi, you'll spill something on yourself before two o' clock and you know it," Ami said. i _I hope I'm this giddy when I get married._ /i 

"I said 'try on'," Usagi insisted.

"Okay, you 'try on' your dress, and I'll go back to sleep," said Ami.

"We're having breakfast at nine. Don't forget," Usagi reminded her.

"I won't," Ami reassured her. "I'll see you then."

When Usagi finally hung up, Ami immediately switched the ring setting on her phone to silent. Only Usagi could be so perky at the crack of dawn. No doubt she really would try on her dress several times before breakfast and run everyone ragged before the actual wedding took place.

Ami had to laugh. Mamoru would probably sleep until noon, grab a shower, throw on his tuxedo and get to the chapel five minutes before the ceremony. Then he would probably wonder why Usagi was having such a fit.

Sometimes it was a wonder how they ever got along. They were complete opposites on most subjects, and even when they agreed they seemed to be able to bicker about it. i They act like an old married couple, /i Ami thought. i I guess it is true, opposites do attract. /i 

Makoto and Motoki were another couple that she didn't quite understand. Makoto was the only woman she knew that could both wear the pants in the relationship and be the happy homemaker. Not that her own mother wasn't both a career woman and a mother, but that was by necessity after her father left. Makoto just seemed to enjoy doing both, and Motoki seemed happy to let her do whatever she wanted.

i Too much thinking /i she decided. i Not enough sleeping. /i With that thought, she slipped back beneath the covers to try and recover her dream.

---

Ami was relieved to find that she had timed her arrival just right and missed Ikuko-mama's spectacularly awful breakfast preparations. It was amazing what Mama could do with an omelet to make it completely repulsive. She gratefully accepted a piece of toast and a cup of tea and sat down to chat with the others before the big rush to get dressed.

Usagi was already fussing about the hairstyle she had picked out. Makoto was trying to explain to her that in order to keep her veil and hairpiece in, she needed to have her hair up. In an echo of the past life, Usagi was now dead set on having her hair half up and half down. As the conversation began to get heated, Ami turned to Rei and asked how she was feeling.

"Excellent, all things considered." She raised her injured arm. "The only lasting problem may be the scarring from the burn I received. I hope it won't be too bad." She sighed loudly and gingerly touched the skin at the edge of the bandage. "If it is, I'll just tell people I fell asleep and fell into the fire."

"I'm sure that will inspire all who visit your shrine," Ami teased.

"Its better than trying to explain that I was attacked by the shadow of an ancient force of evil," Rei told her. "Better to visit a clumsy shrine maiden than one that sounds like she is insane."

"Oh fine. I'll wear it up!" Usagi pouted, distracting them.

In the background, Mama rolled her eyes and went to go gather the necessary supplies to put up Usagi's copious quantity of hair. Once she got Usagi to sit still and mope, Makoto began pinning the roses she had ordered into the hair piece, examining each one before she carefully placed it. Each flower had to be checked for insects or defects, cleaned, trimmed and then placed into a small, plastic water vial before it could be set into place. To no one's surprise, Usagi began to fidget within minutes.

"When is Minako-chan supposed to get here?" she asked.

"Eleven," Rei made no attempt to disguise the exasperation in her voice. "Just like every other time you asked. Its only ten thirty."

"I want her to hurry up and get here so we can all get ready!" Usagi nearly knocked her headpiece off as she bounced in excitement.

Rei looked at her with a wry smile. "I thought I was ready."

"But you haven't one anything with your hair! And you're not wearing any makeup," Usagi protested.

"How observant. I plan to keep it that way," said Rei.

"What about you Ami?" Usagi asked.

When she had left her mother's apartment, Ami was under the impression that she was ready. Looking down at the modest blouse and skirt she was currently wearing, Ami had to wonder what it was about the outfit that made her appear "not ready" to Usagi. "I'm ready."

"You're not going to wear anything special? What about the conversation we had this morning?" asked Usagi.

It was hard to ignore Makoto's knowing smirk, but Ami did her best. "I didn't exactly have time to pack everything I wanted."

"Then we'll have to find you something," Usagi leapt at the chance to play dress up. "We wear about the same size, don't we?"

i _What am I getting myself into?_ /i Immediately Ami began to regret not saying that she was as ready as she was going to be. Usagi's sense of style was... unique at best.

Makoto didn't even try to stop Usagi from jumping up this time, although she managed to save the headpiece from hitting the floor. Usagi grabbed Ami's hand and dragged her upstairs to her room. Once there, Usagi yanked open her drawers and began throwing clothes every which way.

After being hit by a few flying dresses, Ami retreated to the bed and watched as two piles began to develop amongst the mess. Finally, her friend leaned back on her heels and smiled. "This is the pile of things for you to try on," Usagi said, indicating the larger pile.

"Usagi! Minako-chan is here," Mama called from downstairs, and Usagi's face lit up.

"You try these on and then come downstairs and show us which ones you like," the bride-to-be said quickly before rushing downstairs to greet their friend.

Wary of some of the fashions Usagi liked to try, Ami started digging through the heap of clothing. First she eliminated anything brightly colored or with some sort of loud pattern on it. Next, anything that looked like it had a low neckline was neatly folded and put in another pile. The third round of elimination was anything that was covered in beading or sequins.

By the time she was done, there was only one dress left: a ruffly pink top with a gauzy bottom. It looked a bit like a cross between a ball of cotton candy and a formal dress that had been attacked by a pair of scissors, but she dutifully tried it on. i _At least it's comfortable_ /i , she thought, trying to look on the bright side.

With a sigh, she descended into the living room, and when Usagi caught sight of her she squealed. "Ami-chan, so cute!"

Rei was trying to choke back a laugh at the pink confection she was wearing, but Makoto merely shrugged her shoulders. Minako looked up from Usagi's hair and took the mass of hairpins out of her mouth long enough to say, "It suits you," before going back to wrestling Usagi's hair into a twist.

One look at the grin on Usagi's face and she knew that whether she liked the outfit or not, she was going to have to wear it. "Minako-chan?" Usagi asked, "Can you do Ami's hair when you're done with mine?"

Minako nodded and tucked another pin in the underside of Usagi's updo before placing the headpiece on top and admiring the effect. "I think I'm almost finished, providing I can get this thing to stay on your head."

Usagi was beaming. "We can do our makeup together Ami-chan. I bought some great eyeshadow that matches that dress perfectly."

"Usagi," Rei admonished. "She's your friend, not your doll."

"Ami-chan doesn't mind, does she?" Ami couldn't refuse the endearing smile Usagi had plastered on. It was her wedding day after all.

"Oi, sit still!" Minako put her hands on Usagi's shoulders and forcibly made her sit back down on the kitchen chair. "You don't want to have a lopsided hair style."

"Asymmetrical hair is in," Makoto pointed out, showing off her own style. As she spoke, she inserted two mismatched earrings.

"Only when you do it on purpose." Minako wedged another hair pin in with enough force to make Usagi yelp, causing Ami to begin reconsidering if she wanted to let Minako handle her own hair style.

Usagi yelped again when Minako gave the flowered crown a yank. "There, your head will come off before this thing will." The idol flopped back into her chair and flexed her wrists and fingers. "Remind me to tip my stylist handsomely when I get back to the studio."

"I need to see what my headpiece looks like with my dress." Usagi jumped back to her feet and ran up the stairs. Happy squealing soon commenced from behind her closed bedroom door.

"You're really going to wear that?" Rei asked Ami as soon as Usagi was out of earshot.

With a sigh, Ami held out one of the gauzy ruffles. It really wasn't her favorite style, but if it would make Usagi happy surely she could endure it for a few hours. Then she caught sight of her feet. "It doesn't match my shoes," she said to no one in particular.

"I'm sure Usagi will take care of that." Makoto looked her over with a critical eye. "It does make you look adorable," she said.

Just then Mama sashayed through the hallway. She stopped halfway through and and nearly dropped the basket of laundry she was carrying when she spotted Ami. "Ami-chan, you look sweet enough to eat!" she gushed. "Oh, but your shoes don't match. But don't worry about it, I've got the perfect pair that you can borrow. You can wear skinny heels, right?"

Before Ami could say anything to the contrary, Mama was on her way up the stairs to obtain the promised pair of shoes. "Usagi, did you take Mama's open toed shoes?" they head her call from her own bedroom.

"Shall I do your hair now, or do you want to try and wriggle your way out of an updo?" Minako asked.

Ami eyed the pile of hair pins warily. "Do you promise to be gentle?"

"Don't worry, I won't have to pin your hair so tightly. You're not wearing an entire bouquet and veil on your head like Usagi." Minako tilted her head to one side and she studied Ami. "I think we'll have to do something with loose with that dress. A tight updo just wouldn't match."

The idol gestured for Ami to sit down in the chair in front of her, and Ami obeyed albeit a little slowly. She always had enjoyed having someone play with her hair, but it was hard to relax when Minako had hair pins at the ready and a gleam in her eye.

While Minako worked, they chatted about life in general and caught up on each others' lives. It amazed Ami that they all had such different paths in life. There was no doubt in her mind that if they had just been normal teenagers they never would have become friends with one another, but now she couldn't imagine life without her friends, as crazy as it sometimes became.

"What took you so long?" Makoto asked when Usagi finally came downstairs.

"Nothing," Usagi said, but her face was paler than usual. "Here are the shoes Ami-chan."

"Thanks," Ami replied. She picked up the mirror that was laying on the table from Usagi's hairdressing earlier with a bit of apprehension. It would be hard for her hair to turn out worse than the dress looked, but she was sure it could and probably would happen.

Minako was applying the finishing touches to a very loose updo. While it wasn't something she would have necessarily picked out, Ami admitted that it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The baby's breath that Minako had insisted on adding went well with the ethereal fabric of the dress.

"It looks great!" Usagi chirruped, the color coming back to her cheeks. The blusher and powder on the table in front of her was also a likely factor in the sudden improvement. She waved an over-sized brush at Ami, "Time to do your makeup too!"

"Only a little," said Ami. "I don't want to look like one of those fashion dolls." There was a debate over what constituted "only a little", but eventually Ami won out with just a little powder, some mascara and a little lipgloss. Still, she felt like a bit of a tart, even if Usagi's practiced makeup application looked natural. Something about painting her face made her feel like she was on display.

Usagi clapped her hands together happily. "All we have left to do is eat lunch and get me into my dress. Then, Mamoru and I will be married."

Her happy smile proved infectious once again and soon they were all grinning like a bunch of idiots. The marriage was one thousand years in the making and it was time for the romance of the Prince of Earth and the Princess of the Moon to finally have a happy ending.


	8. The River Flows Into the Ocean

As predicted, Mamoru nearly gave both Usagi and Mama heart attacks by showing up at the chapel fifteen minutes before the ceremony was set to begin. If it wasn't for Motoki's insistence, he probably would have arrived even later. Luckily for the bride, Motoki was nearly as excited as Usagi was and managed to badger his friend into arriving early.

The ceremony itself was beautiful and not a thing went wrong the whole time. Before long Ami and the others were waiting outside in the sun to await the newlyweds. None of them could stop grinning, and both Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino were in tears while Shingo looked bored to tears.

Naru, Kanami and Mamoko were there as well, chatting with Luna like they had known her all their lives. Artemis sat on Luna's shoulder, doing his best to stay still and not give away his secret. No one found it odd that Luna was carrying around a plushie during the wedding; her childlike demeanor worked to her advantage that way.

The bells began to peal and the assembled group turned to the chapel doors as Mr. and Mrs. Chiba made their first public appearance. The bowed formally once before beginning their journey down the stairs as their guests littered their path with rose petals and cheered. Mama went into another fit of hysterics as her only daughter made her way past with her new husband and Papa had his face buried in his handkerchief. Motoki wasn't in much better shape, and he bawled freely as he clapped for his best friend.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the happy couple was bum rushed by their collective friends and family, all applauding and cheering. Usagi couldn't stop beaming and Mamoru even managed to crack a smile. No one could hear one another over the din they were making, but it didn't matter because the sentiment was the same.

Finally, the clamoring stopped and the newlyweds were able to thank everyone for coming. Despite the invitation disaster, every singe one of those invited managed to attend, a good omen if anything. i _Everyone_? /i Ami thought curiously. Even if an appearance shifting spell was being used, she was almost certain that the guests she didn't know personally weren't Mamoru's guardians. Maybe Makoto had been wrong after all.

"Ami-chan, aren't you going to try and catch the bouquet?"

All the other girls were gathered together in a crowd already and Ami felt her cheeks grow hot as she slipped into the back of the group by Makoto. Naru, Kanami, Momoko and Luna were all jostling each others like Usagi was throwing money, not flowers. Directly in front her, Rei and Minako bumped shoulders by accident and attempted to appear like the weren't as excited as Usagi's old schoolmates.

Something was poking Ami and the side and she looked over to see Makoto nudging her with a sly smile on her face. Before Ami could say something, her taller friend nodded her head in the direction of the trees lining the path around the church. In the shade of the canopy, the Shitennou stood together looking quite perplexed at the commotion that was unfolding before them. Kunzite looked annoyed, Zoisite looked bored, Nephrite looked confused and Jadeite looked like he wanted to be in the middle of it all.

The shrieking reached a fever pitch, and Ami turned around just in time to see Usagi toss her bouquet backwards over her head. To the disappointment of the front of the group, the pink roses flew high over their heads, all the way back to fountain decorating the grounds where a very excited Motoki was waiting to catch it.

"Yatta!" he cried out as the girls turned as one to stare at him. Realizing that all eyes were on him, he cleared his throat. He thrust the bouquet at Makoto with a trembling hand. "I was thinking: Why don't we go next?"

It took a few moments for Makoto to process what was going on, and her jaw hung amusingly agape until she finally manage to stammer out a "Yes."

As if on cue, the applause started again, nearly as loud as it was when the doors had opened for Usagi and Mamoru. Usagi was quite possibly making more noise than half of the others combined and Mamoru called out his encouragement from his spot beside his new wife. When the shock of what happened wore off, Makoto took to blushing furiously and Ami had to bite back the urge to tease her about it. Rei and Minako had no such qualms, and Ami used their distraction to scan the shade again.

She spotted the Shitennou just as Kunzite and Zoisite disappeared with a dramatic flip of their capes. Jadeite and Nephrite were arguing about something, and didn't notice that their companions had abandoned them quite yet. She had to make her decision now.

Ami looked behind her; Makoto seemed so overwhelmed that Ami could tell her that the Shitennou had disappeared in the confusion and no one noticed until it was too late. Usagi's eyes were glued to the other happy couple and the others wouldn't care one way or another. i _But I would care,. When am I going to stop being such a coward? /i _

Swallowing hard, she whispered to herself, "I'm going to do this." But when she looked towards the remaining guardians of Endymion, both were in the process of teleporting. "Wait!" she called, dashing towards them. "Please, wait."

Her heart skipped a beat as they disappeared, but in a flash Nephrite was back, looking a bit startled. Mama's shoes hobbled her, but she managed to cross the distance between them in record time. "Nephrite, I want to talk to you."

- End -


End file.
